
Moral treatment was an approach to mental disorder based on humane psychosocial care or moral discipline that emerged in the 18th century and came to the fore for much of the 19th century, deriving partly from psychiatry or psychology and partly from religious or moral concerns.
What is moral treatment?
Moral Treatment philosophy stressed a respect for human individuality in treatment practices Moral Treatment acknowledged the connection of the mind and body for health maintenance Provided the mentally ill with opportunity to function and adapt to their environments through a routine and activity engagement Moral Treatment began
What is a moral approach to mental health?
Moral treatment was an approach to mental disorder based on humane psychosocial care or moral discipline that emerged in the 18th century and came to the fore for much of the 19th century, deriving partly from psychiatry or psychology and partly from religious or moral concerns.
How did the moral treatment movement influence the field of psychology?
The moral treatment movement is widely seen as influencing psychiatric practice up to the present day, including specifically therapeutic communities (although they were intended to be less repressive); occupational therapy and Soteria houses. The Recovery model is said to have echoes of the concept of moral treatment.
How do I start studying moral treatment?
Start studying Moral Treatment. Learn vocabulary, terms, and more with flashcards, games, and other study tools. Home Subjects Explanations Create Study sets, textbooks, questions

What is moral treatment?
Moral treatment. Moral treatment was an approach to mental disorder based on humane psychosocial care or moral discipline that emerged in the 18th century and came to the fore for much of the 19th century, deriving partly from psychiatry or psychology and partly from religious or moral concerns. The movement is particularly associated ...
Who was the first physician to use moral treatment?
A key figure in the early spread of moral treatment in the United States was Benjamin Rush (1745–1813), an eminent physician at Pennsylvania Hospital. He limited his practice to mental illness and developed innovative, humane approaches to treatment. He required that the hospital hire intelligent and sensitive attendants to work closely ...
What does "moral" mean in French?
At that time "moral", in French and internationally, had a mixed meaning of either psychological/emotional (mental) or moral (ethical). Pinel distanced himself from the more religious work that was developed by the Tukes, and in fact considered that excessive religiosity could be harmful.
How did moral treatment affect asylum?
The moral treatment movement had a huge influence on asylum construction and practice . Many countries were introducing legislation requiring local authorities to provide asylums for the local population, and they were increasingly designed and run along moral treatment lines.
How many hospitals did Dix help establish?
Dix fought for new laws and greater government funding to improve the treatment of people with mental disorders from 1841 until 1881, and personally helped establish 32 state hospitals that were to offer moral treatment. Many asylums were built according to the so-called Kirkbride Plan .
What does Foucault say about moral asylum?
Thus Foucault argues that the "moral" asylum is "not a free realm of observation, diagnosis, and therapeutics; it is a juridical space where one is accused, judged, and condemned.".
What are the four moral syntheses in the asylum?
A patient in the asylum had to go through four moral syntheses: silence, recognition in the mirror, perpetual judgment, and the apotheosis of the medical personage. The mad were ignored and verbally isolated. They were made to see madness in others and then in themselves until they felt guilt and remorse.
